Meridian resident Brice Channing Jones will attend Yale University in New Haven, Ct., beginning fall 2009.

Jones is currently a senior at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., and is scheduled to graduate in August with a bachelor of arts degree in Biblical studies, with a minor in Greek. He is the second student in the history of Lee University to be accepted and attend Yale. Jones will seek a master of arts degree in religion, with a concentration in New Testament and Biblical languages. Of 1,000 applicants, he is one of 20 accepted for this particular degree.

Jones attended Lamar Academy before relocating to finish high school at the University Christian School in Brandon. In addition to Yale, he was accepted to Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., and the University of Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., for graduate studies.

His accomplishments also include: serves as assistant to the chairman of the Bible Department and Lee University for two years; tutors entry-level as well as upperclassmen in the Greek language; began Greek tutoring his freshman year at Lee; formed and serves as president of Pi Gamma Alpha, a Greek honor society that brings interest to and awareness of the specific Greek language; and he was invited each year at Lee to attend and become a member of the International Society of Biblical Literature, a society of Biblical scholars whom have written scholastic books, documentaries, and treatises is various areas of Biblical literature. The event is held in Los Angeles, Boston, and Atlanta.

Jones’ goal is to complete his doctorate and hold a Deanship post at a university or seminary setting and teach Greek and Hebrew, and other Biblical languages.

Jones is the son of Brad Jones of Greenville, Ala., and Tammy Tyron of Meridian.

• Courtney LaShune Dorsett of Decatur and Rita Maria Stanley of Quitman have been selected to receive the Joyce Morrison Memorial Scholarships at Meridian Community College. 

These $475 per-semester awards are funded through the MCC Foundation from an endowment established by a bequest from the estate of Morrison, who was an alumna and long-time supporter of MCC; her gift to the college was designed to help others achieve their personal goals through education. 

Dorsett is a 2002 graduate of Newton County High School. A licensed practical nurse, she is in the third semester of the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Dorsett is a member of the Organization of Student Nurses and the Mississippi Organization of Associate Degree Nursing. Her goal is to pursue the bachelor of science degree in nursing.

Stanley is a 1984 graduate of Clarke Academy. She completed the practical nursing program in 1991. A President’s List scholar, Stanley is a member of the Mississippi Organization of Associate Degree Nursing and the Emergency Nursing Association. Her goal is to continue her nursing education through the doctorate level.            

• Kimyetta Michelle Triplett and Amber Lynn Mowdy have been selected to receive the Tommy Webb Business Scholarship at Meridian Community College. These $1,800 awards are funded through the MCC Foundation from an endowment established by a bequest from the estate of Laura Webb. Norma Webb completed the endowment. Mr. Webb built a successful business in Meridian and served on the Meridian School Board. Webb Hall on the MCC campus is named for him.

  Triplett is a 2006 graduate of Weir Attendance Center. She is a sophomore in the Business and Office Technology Program. Triplett is a member of the MCC Gospel Choir and Phi Beta Lambda, a professional organization for business students. Her goal is to complete the bachelor’s degree in business.

  Mowdy is a 2007 graduate of Meridian High School. She is a sophomore in the University Transfer Program studying accounting. A Dean’s List scholar, Amber is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students. She will pursue the bachelor of science degree in accountancy and then sit for the CPA examination. Her ultimate goal is the own her own business. 

• Jonistine Yvette Jones of Jackson has been selected to receive the Dr. O.D. Polk Sr. Memorial Scholarship at Meridian Community College. 

This $500 award is funded through the MCC Foundation by members of the Polk Family. Polk practiced medicine in Meridian for 40 years. He served on the board of trustees of Meridian Community College and Meridian Public Schools.

Jones is a 1996 graduate of Brandon High School. She is in the third semester of the Associate Degree Nursing Program. In addition to commuting to MCC to attend nursing school, Jonistine works full time at Select Specialty Hospital of Jackson. Her career goal is to become a nurse practitioner.             

• LIVINGSTON, Ala. — Zachary Riley of Quitman has been named to the President’s List at the University of West Alabama for the Fall 2008 academic semester. To reach the President’s List, students must earn at least a 3.80 grade point average while attempting at least 12 semester hours.

• Union Elementary School second-graders Lincoln Jordan, Michael Creekmore, Anna White and Ansley Rigby recently brought home first and second place honors from two Automotive Engineering Challenges hosted by Mississippi State Bagley College of Engineering’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS).

In the first event, 20 teams from around the state, consisting of two to three students applied the concepts of force, time, momentum, and impulse as well as the basic principles of conservation of mechanical energy to create and construct a vehicle of K’Nex pieces to withstand a car crash simulation.

A raw egg was placed inside the vehicle and rolled down an 8-foot long ramp, which was inclined at a starting point of 2 feet. It came to a sudden stop by crashing into an obstacle at the end. The objective was to do so without cracking the egg (which simulated the passenger in the vehicle). Only vehicles that protected the egg proceeded to the next level. The height of the ramp was increased by 1 foot until the 8-foot ramp was completely vertical against the wall.

Only two teams reached the vertical 8-foot ramp stage. Union’s team members Lincoln Jordan, Michael Creekmore and Ansley Rigby were declared the overall first place winners. Each team member was presented with a $25 gift card to Barnes and Nobles and a 400-piece K’Nex building set.

The objective of the second event was to design and construct a bumper with a balsa wood base to be attached to the front of a wooden 2-pound vehicle. Any materials could be used to construct the bumper, but the final dimensions could be no larger than 1? inches thick x 2 inches wide x 4 inches long. Students then strapped a raw egg into the vehicle using Velcro strips as seat belts. They followed the same procedure using the 8-foot ramp as the K’Nex vehicles.

Union students, Anna White and Lincoln Jordan walked away with second place honors. Each team member was presented a $15 Barnes and Nobles gift card and a 400-piece K’Nex building set.

Terry Gressett is the Union Elementary SEEK instructor.

• OXFORD – Madalyn Rose Ivy of Meridian is among 141 University of Mississippi students included in the fall 2008 edition of “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.”

Since 1934, “Who’s Who” has recognized students for their academic achievement, service to community, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success. Students are selected by directory editors and local nominating committees made up of faculty, staff and student body representatives.

Ivy is the daughter of Danny and Amy Ivy. She is a pharmaceutical science major at UM. 

• Kirby Keith, a junior at Newton County High School, recently won first place honors in the East Central Talented and Gifted Creative Writing Competition in the high school Poetry category. Kirby’s entry was sponsored by Newton County Middle School Talented and Gifted teacher Melisa Hill.

• Ashlyn Newell of Toomsuba has been selected to receive the Key Brothers Scholarship at Meridian Community College. 

This $1,000 award is funded through the MCC Foundation from an endowment established from the proceeds of the Key Brothers Air Show in 1985. Al and Fred Key were Meridian aviators who pioneered in-flight refueling. With the exception of space flights, their endurance record of 1935 is still in tact. 

Newell is a 2008 graduate of Northeast Lauderdale High School. She represented Lauderdale County as the 2008 Junior Miss. A Dean’s List scholar, Ashlyn was recently initiated into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year college students. She is in the University Transfer Program with plans to work toward a degree in criminal justice.